Babar Azam set to miss England Test as Pakistan weigh captaincy change
SportLocation Cricket Desk · 28 Aug 2026
Sky Sports and Reuters reporting points to a significant setback for Pakistan, with Babar Azam expected to miss the first Test against England after an injury scare and Salman named stand-in captain.
Pakistan are facing an early blow before the first Test against England, with reporting from Sky Sports and Reuters pointing to Babar Azam missing the match after an injury scare. The named Pakistan batter in dark kit seen walking across the ground, bat resting on his shoulder, fits the kind of between-play moment that often follows a pause in proceedings rather than an active passage of play.
Reuters says Salman has been named stand-in captain, which would leave Pakistan without their regular leader at the start of the series. That change matters because Babar remains central to Pakistan's batting order and to the balance of the side, especially in a Test match where stability at the top can shape the rest of the innings.
Pakistan's early Test setback
The wider context from the reports is straightforward: Pakistan are preparing for England without their skipper, and the decision on who leads them has already been made. The green shirts and boundary-side crowd atmosphere in the source material match the feel of a live matchday setting, but the reporting focus is the squad adjustment rather than a single passage of play.
For Pakistan, the immediate question is how they cover both leadership and batting if Babar is unavailable. With the first Test approaching, Salman now has the responsibility of steering the side through the opening match and setting the tone for the series.
Sources & further reading
Reuters — Pakistan skipper Babar Azam to miss first England test, Salman named stand-in captain
AP News — Shafique and Babar Azam put Pakistan on top in 2nd cricket test against West Indies